Tag: LG

Android handsets might be selling like hot cakes, but it is still rough to be an Android handset manufacturer. Android devices are a dime a dozen, with new ones being introduced almost every week. The competition is fierce, and the impact is being felt in the bottom line of Android OEMs. Apart from Samsung, pretty much every other Android manufacturer is struggling to make profits. The biggest challenge for any Android smartphone is to set itself apart from the crowd. Baring Sony and Motorola, all other big name manufacturers have jumped aboard the quad-core bandwagon (Motorola is likely to follow soon with the Atrix 3). All of the new flagships come with high definition displays having a stunning DPI. All of them have Ice Cream Sandwich. In such a situation, it is no longer sufficient to cram your flagship with the best-in-class hardware and ship with the newest edition of Android. Manufacturers are being forced to come up with innovative new features to attract consumers. While Samsung focused on augmenting its phone’s senses to help the Galaxy S3 stand out from the crowd, HTC banked on Beats Audio and ImageSense. LG also is trying to entice potential buyers by offering a few nifty enhancements to the stock experience.

The first feature worth noting in the Optimus 4X HD is QuickMemo. As the name suggests, QuickMemo is LG’s take on an instant note taking app. QuickMemo permeates throughout the interface, and is accessible pretty much everywhere. All you have to do is tap the QuickMemo button present in the notification area, and whatever you were doing will be frozen to allow you to scribble notes. Whether you are watching a video, reviewing a presentation, or surfing the web, QuickMemo can be used to annotate whatever is on the screen. Notes saved using QuickMemo are sharable over email, social networks, or MMS.

The second distinctive feature is Smart Mail, which offers a desktop-client like two-pane view in landscape mode that can come in handy when you want to go through a large number of mails quickly. In portrait mode, its UI is similar to traditional mobile apps, but it has a smart email sorting option with history view. You can dive into all past conversations with a contact with a single tap.

One app where LG is truly harnessing the power of its quad core processor is the video player. It not only supports playback of full HD (1080p) videos, but it also features pinch-to-zoom gesture for zooming into any portion of the video. On top of it, LG’s media app is also capable of slowing down or speeding up videos on the fly, and has a split-screen mode for quickly browsing through your video library. However, the handiest feature of LG’s video player is the fingertip seek feature, which displays YouTube like preview of the frame you are about to jump to.

LG has augmented the stock camera app also. Besides features like Panorama and HDR, which pretty much all of its competitors have, the Optimus 4X HD has something called Time Catch shot. When in this mode, you not only have access to the pic that you clicked, but also to 5 shots from 2-3 seconds before you snapped the picture. The idea is that you don’t have to miss out on the perfect moment just because you were a bit late to click the picture. LG is branding its unique multimedia enhancements as Media Plex.

LG is also taking a page out of Sony’s book and introducing NFC smart tags. They are calling this LG Tag+. The NFC tags can be used for changing profiles, launching apps, altering phone settings and more with a tap. The Optimus 4X will ship with two tags that can be used for switching between various profiles like Car mode and Office mode. Of course, the tags are customizable, so users can program them as they wish.

LG is also offering a host of connectivity options other than NFC. The Optimus 4x HD supports MHL (Mobile HD Link), DLNA, Wi-Fi Direct, and Bluetooth 4.0. However, the most distinctive feature is On-Screen Phone (OSP), which allows the user to access and control his phone from a PC. It works over USB, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi, and enables the user to see his phone’s screen on the PC, and to also access its full functionality. So, if you want to play the latest TegraHD game on a bigger screen, you may easily do so. You can also use this to be notified of phone calls, alarms, and SMS, while you are working on your desktop.

Other potential draws of the LG Optimus 4X are its icon customizer (use any image from the gallery as an app icon), Dolby Sound, and Gesture Zooming.

All in all, LG has put in quite some effort to offer a package that has enough nifty tricks to allow the Optimus 4X to stand out from the crowd. In the end, everything will depend on how well everything is executed, and how smartly the 4X is priced. I will follow-up with a detailed review later, but from the first hands-on the Optimus 4X appeared to be a smartphone that is at the very least capable of competing with the likes of the Galaxy S3 and One X.

Along with the Optimus L3, L5 and L7, LG has also launched the powerful Optimus 4X HD smartphone in India. It is the company’s first smartphone which packs a 1.5 GHz quad-core plus 1 processor. When maximum power is needed, Tegra 3 automatically activates all four cores, but when less power is required, it defaults to the fifth battery-saver core. This handset runs of the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Operating System with LG’s Optimus UI 3.0 on top of it.

Sanjay Maheshwary Business Head, Mobile Communications, LG India, said: “With the smartphone segment consolidating even further, it’s now apparent that both great software and great hardware should go hand in hand. LG’s 4X HD is our proof that we not only understand our consumers’ needs but also cater to them. The 4X HD also features LG’s new User Experience (UX), which allows users the ability to instantly jot memos or noted from any screen. LG’s 4X HD is a complete package which packs powerful features to back it sleek frame”

LG Optimus 4X HD comes with a price-tag of Rs.34,990 (approx. $630) in India. This handset will compete with other powerful Android smartphones such as Samsung Galaxy S III and HTC One X in the Indian market.

LG recently invited us to showcase the new L-Series phones, the LG Optimus L3, L5 and L7. You must have already heard about these devices, while they were announced at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012 in Barcelona. LG Optimus L3 is basically an entry-level smartphone, while the L5 and L7 are mid-range devices. LG Optimus L3 runs on the old Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS, while the Optimus L5 and L7 runs on the newer Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) Operating System.

According to the company, L-Style’s design is comprised of ‘five aesthetic elements’ – Modern Square Style, Floating Mass Technology, Seamless Layout, Harmonized Design Contrast and Sensuous Slim Shape. The Optimus L3, L5 and L7 are the company’s first smartphones to feature the L-Style look. If you were planning to get one of these device, then we have good news for you. LG recently launched these budget friendly smartphones in India.

Sanjay Maheshwary, Business Head, Mobile Communications, LG India, said: “Both L series and LG Optimus 4XHD are feature packed Smartphone, offering a great mix of design, intelligent features, performance and display. These smartphones, with their fast processors and superb display, take user experience to a whole new level. Design has always been a major priority for LG and our design leadership has been well established and consistently maintained. The launch of L series, with L-Style’s design philosophy, is just another milestone and there are many more to come.”

LG Optimus L3 Specifications:

3.2 inch touchscreen display

240x 320 pixels resolution

800 MHz processor

Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) OS

3 megapixel camera

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

3G Connectivity

Bluetooth 3.0

1 GB internal memory

MicroSD card slot

32 GB expandable memory

384 MB RAM

Up to 600 hrs of stand-by time

Up to 12 hrs of talk-time

1500 mAh battery

LG Optimus L5 Specifications:

4 inch touchscreen display

320 x 480 pixels resolution

800 MHz Qualcomm MSM7225A Snapdragon processor

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS

5 megapixel camera with LED flash

Bluetooth 3.0

4 GB internal memory

MicroSD card slot

32 GB expandable memory

512 MB RAM

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

3G Connectivity

Google Play Store

Up to 900 hrs of stand-by time

Up to 10 hrs of talk-time

1500 mAh Li-Ion battery

LG Optimus L7 Specifications:

4.3 inch IPS display

480 x 800 pixels resolution

1 GHz Qualcomm MSM7227A Snapdragon processor

Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS

5 megapixel camera with LED flash

VGA front-facing camera

Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n

3G Connectivity

4 GB internal memory

MicroSD card slot

32 GB expandable memory

512 MB RAM

Bluetooth 3.0

GPS with A-GPS

Wi-Fi Direct

Wi-Fi hotspot

DLNA

Google Play Store

Dolby mobile sound enhancement

Up to 550 hrs of stand-by time

Up to 6 hrs of talk-time

1700 mAh Li-Ion battery

LG Optimus L3, L5 and L7 comes with a price tag of Rs.8,895, Rs.13,199 and Rs.19,900 respectively. LG Optimus L3 will complete with Samsung Galaxy Y and HTC Explorer, while the Optimus L5 and L7 will compete with Samsung Galaxy Ace Duos, Xperia U, Xperia Sola and Xolo 900 in the Indian market.

In a stunning development, Samsung has accused its rival LG of committing industrial espionage. Samsung Mobile Display, the wing of Samsung Electronics responsible for manufacturing displays, is blaming LG for the leak of its organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen technology.

On Sunday, 11 individuals were arrested in connection with stealing and leaking key technologies related to OLED displays manufactured by Samsung. According to the indictment, six of them are current or former researchers at Samsung, one is a sub-contractor from LG Display, and other five are executives at LG Display.

Samsung is demanding an apology as well as corrective action from its South Korean competitor. It is claiming damages worth “trillions of won” (1 trillion won is slightly less than 0.9 billion USD). “Executives of LG Display, which lacks OLED technology and related human resources, took the lead in this criminal act in order to overcome their shortcomings as quickly as possible,” it said in a statement.

LG is not taking the allegations lying down. It is threatening to sue Samsung Display for defamation. “We do not need Samsung’s technology, which works under a totally different display system,” it added. Samsung currently claims to have a 97% market share in the OLED screen market. If its allegations are proven in court, LG will have to contend with steep fines besides having egg on its face.

Last year, LG unveiled the first smartphone in the Prada series, the LG Prada 3.0. This handset originally runs on the Android 2.3.7 (Gingerbread) Operating System. LG has already promised to roll out the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) update during the Q2 of 2012. However, it got delayed due to some unknown reason. Now, the carrier unlocked variant of LG Prada 3.0 in Germany and Italy has started receiving the much-awaited Android 4.0 ICS update. If you own this device, check out the complete changes and new features below.

The latest update bumps the LG Prada 3.0 Android 4.0.4 Ice Cream Sandwich OS. Sadly, this update is not available via OTA (Over-The-Air). You will need to manually update your phone, just by connecting you phone to the computer and then using the LG Mobile Phone Support tool. It is advised to backup all you data before updating the device. You should also make sure that, the battery is fully charged before updating your phone.

This update is currently available only in Germany and Italy. LG Prada 3.0 owners in other region are expected get this update before the end of this month. If you find any new features after updating your device, then do let us know in the comments section below. To learn more about the update procedure, head over to this page.

Earlier this year, LG announced 3 new smartphones, the LG Optimus L3, LG Optimus L5 and LG Optimus L7 at the Mobile World Congress (MWC) 2012 in Barcelona. These devices belongs to the LG’s L-Style series of smartphones. LG has already released the dual-SIM variant of the Optimus L5 smartphone. Now, the company went ahead and announced the LG Optimus L3 E405 smartphone. This handset is basically the dual-SIM variant of the LG Optimus L3.

The LG Optimus L3 E405 will be first available in Ukraine from the next month. The original Optimus L3 runs on the Android 4.0 (Ice Cream Sandwich) OS. However, this handset will ship with the old Android 2.3 (Gingerbread) Operating System. LG has not yet announced any update plans for this device, but the owners of Optimus L3 E405 should expect the Android 4.0 update in the coming months. Check out the specs after the break.

LG isn’t kidding around when it claims that the future is 3D. The Korean electronics giant is really doubling down on the third dimension. Little more than a month after introducing the new range of Cinema 3D Smart TVs in India, it has launched the Optimus 3D MAX.

As the name suggests, the Optimus 3D Max is the successor of Optimus 3D. The newer edition is thinner and lighter, has a slightly faster processor (1.2 GHz Dual Core Cortex-A9), more RAM (1 GB), and supports NFC. Unfortunately, it still ships with Gingerbread (Android 2.3), which is now almost 18 months old.

According to Mr. Soon Kwon, President, South West Asia Region & MD LG India, “LG Optimus 3D MAX is a natural and powerful evolution of LG Optimus 3D. Building on the phenomenal success of the original Optimus 3D, we are proud to unveil this ultimate Smartphone. In 2012, we will take LG’s leadership in Speed, Screen and Content to a whole new level. With the Optimus 3D MAX, we want to set new standards of quality viewing and powerful performance on mobiles packed in a slim and modern design”.

LG is pricing the Optimus 3D Max Rs.30, 500, which means that it will be cheaper than the likes of HTC One X and Samsung Galaxy S3, but more expensive than the likes of Samsung Galaxy S2 and Motorola Atrix 2. The S2 offers comparable, if not better performance than the Optimus 3D Max, has a better screen, and is already running ICS. Given the limited availability of 3D apps and content, it will be interesting to see if draw of 3D is sufficient to justify the price tag.

LG also launched a mid-range Android device called Optimus L7, which is targeted towards the style conscious. “Design is consistently an important factor for customers when choosing a mobile phone and with L-Style we’re going to go back to our roots as a company focused on products that fit into the lifestyle of customers”, Mr. Soon Kwon emphasized. Unlike the Optimus 3D Max, the Optimus L7 ships with ICS (Android 4.0). Unfortunately, in order to cut costs, LG has decided to go with a measly 1 GHz Cortex-A5. Hopefully, LG has optimized the hell out of its ICS ROM, as otherwise the L7 is going to be slow for sure.

The 4.3’’ L7 will be available for Rs.19, 900. This is again a pretty interesting price point. The Sony Xperia U, which is cheaper by a few thousand bucks, is powered by a more powerful Dual-core 1 GHz Cortex-A9, but has a smaller screen. The Motorola Atrix 2, which has both a powerful processor and a large screen, costs a couple of thousand bucks more. LG believes that superior build quality and appearance coupled with a large screen and latest software will be sufficient to woo consumers. Time will tell us if they are right.

LG will be launching its Cinema 3D range (3D LED, 3D Ultra Slim LED, 3D Home Theater systems, 3D Blu-ray players and the futuristic 3D OLED TV) in India over the coming months. We have already explored the major new features of the 2012 range of Cinema 3D products. Check out our earlier coverage for a hands-on first impression, if you haven’t already. Listed below are the Cinema 3D LED TV models that LG will be launching along with their launch date, price, and major features.

LG Electronics India Limited (LGEIL), which is the current 3D TV leader in India with about half the market share, is gearing up to launch its new 2012 series of Cinema 3D Smart TVs. Mr. Soon Kwon, MD of LEGIL, heralded the 2012 lineup as “a significant step forward, thanks to a series of new and upgraded 3D features”.

LG Cinema 3D 72LM9500

There are three principle techniques employed by 3D TVs to provide a perception of depth. They are – Shutter, Color Anaglyph, and Polarized. While the latter two are called as passive 3D, the former is dubbed as active. 3D TVs from the likes of Samsung and Sony fall into the first category. These TVs essentially use glasses that are synced with the TV and have a shutter that alternately opens and closes to deliver different frames to different eyes. The problem with this technique is that the glasses require batteries as well as an infra-red sensor to be able communicate with the TV set. This makes them both heavy and expensive. This technique also reduces the effective refresh rate of the TV. Anaglyph 3D content has two differently filtered colored images, one for each eye. The glasses are specially tinted to allow only one image and block the other. Thus, each eye receives a different image. Anaglyph glasses don’t have any complicated circuitry, and hence are lighter and cheaper. The disadvantage of Anaglyph is that due to the tinting, the viewer often gets a dimmer image with poor contrast and color reproduction. Moreover, since both the images are delivered at the same time, there is a possibility of artifacts being present. Polarized 3D TVs work in a similar fashion; however, instead of altering the color, it alters the frequency of the image. Polarized glasses are expected to alleviate contrast and color reproduction issues; however, it still can suffer from the presence of artifacts.

LG’s Cinema 3D display uses polarization technique (they prefer to call it Film Type Patterned Retarder 3D or FPR). As a result, LG Cinema 3D is able to deliver full 240 Hz refresh rate, which on paper means that you shouldn’t observe any flickering. The glasses are also super light (15 grams) and extremely comfortable. For folks with spectacles, there is a clip-on lens that’s even thinner and lighter.

LG Cinema 3D FPR Glasses LG Cinema 3D FPR Clip-On Glasses

Now that we understand how LG’s Cinema 3D works, let’s have a look at some of the new features it will be introducing in its 2012 line-up.

Cinema Screen: In its LED 3D TVs, LG has managed to trim the bezel down to a phenomenal 1 mm. Thus, the actual display almost extends from edge to edge. LG is calling this Cinema Screen, since it believes that the new design will facilitate a seamless and immersive viewing experience à la the big screen.

LG Cinema 3D LM8600 with Cinema Screen

2D to 3D Conversion: 3D content is still pretty rare in the market. In order to tackle this problem, LG developed an algorithm to convert 2D content into 3D on the fly. The new models will feature an improved 6-step algorithm that should offer better 3D viewing experience.

Dual Play: Last year, we saw Sony allowing gamers to play PS3 games against each other on the same television screen by using special glasses. Now, LG is following suit with Dual Play for Xbox. As discussed earlier, 3D TV essentially works by displaying two different images to two different eyes. Somewhat similarly, dual play works by displaying two different images to two different players.

Magic Remote: LG has enhanced its remote by adding gesture support and a scroll wheel to it. The latter is particularly handy while surfing the web, while the former makes issuing complex command simple.

Smart Share Plus: While most current generation TVs come with DLNA for displaying multimedia content from mobile phones, tablets, and PCs on the big screen, LG has added support for a host of new technologies to differentiate itself. MHL (Mobile HD Link) allows compatible smartphones to be connected to the TV through micro HDMI to play HD content on the big screen. WiDi (Intel’s Wireless Display) enables fast and easy connection between TVs and Laptops without any wires or internet network. Wi-Fi Screen Share enables the content on the TV screen to be shared with multiple devices including smart phones and tablets. And finally, 2nd Display enables you to watch TV programs or Blu-ray content on your smartphone or your tablet PC, even if that content is not being displayed on your TV. So, you can watch a cricket match on your tablet, while your mom is watching her favorite soap on the television. This feature will not be present out of the box, but will be made available by mid-2012 through an automatic software update.

LG Cinema 3D in Action

So, the LG Cinema 3D displays are packed to the brim with fun and useful features. However, how does it perform in real life? Earlier this week, I got a brief opportunity to check out the new displays in action, and the good news is that when it comes to picture quality, LG’s offerings perform mostly as advertised. Brightness, contrast and color reproduction, which have been some of the major caveats of 3D TVs, are excellent. Flickering also didn’t rear its ugly head. However, I can’t vouch if LG has managed to address the headache issue, without using the 3D displays for prolonged periods. The 2D to 3D conversion is quite neat and adds a perceivable amount of depth to existing content. However, I didn’t get a chance to check out the 3D conversion algorithm in action on a live stream. LG only had a music video for demonstration purposes. I am told that the effectiveness of the conversion process is heavily dependent on the quality of the source material. LG allows the user to control the intensiveness of the 3D effect. As you move the slider towards the right, depth of the picture increases; however, so does the amount of observable interlacing. Presets are available to help you tune the conversion settings according to the content that you are watching.

Until now, Samsung, Motorola, HTC and Sony have all updated at least a few of their handsets to Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich. LG is the only company that still has not updated any of its Android running handsets to Ice Cream Sandwich. The company had initially promised to roll-out the Android 4.0 ICS update for the Optimus 2X sometime in Q2.

However, the company has now postponed the Ice Cream Sandwich update for its Optimus 2X handset to Q3. Quite a few other Optimus branded handsets from LG were also scheduled to receive their ICS update in Q3, and the Optimus 2X joins them. If the company manages to stick to its word this time, it will take LG a whopping 9 months to update even a single Optimus branded handset to ICS.

This is downright disastrous for the company’s image, and is going to make a negative impact on its handset’s sale. With the Korean company’s handset sales already dwindling, and losses increasing this is perhaps the last thing LG could have hoped for. The company should spend some money on hiring better Android engineers if it wants its mobile division to stay in business.